Around the World with Orson Welles 1955

Overview

Around the World with Orson Welles is a six-part British television travel series that premiered in 1955. Written, directed, and presented by Orson Welles, the program was produced for the ITV network. The series was filmed entirely within Europe, capturing various locations including Vienna, the Basque Country, Madrid, the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district of Paris, and the home of the Chelsea Pensioners in London. The production functions as both a travelogue and a cinematic essay, blending documentary observation with personal reflection. Throughout the episodes, Welles utilizes a combination of local history, interviews, and his own distinctive narration to explore these diverse settings. By shifting between objective accounts of the regions and his own subjective commentary, Welles creates a cultural portrait of each destination. The series serves as an example of the intersection between travel film and the personal essay format, reflecting the specific creative approach of its creator during his time working in British television.